Cam Newton posts old mug shot in lengthy message of gratitude: ‘Learn from this story’

Cam Newton has plenty to be thankful for nine years after his arrest for stealing a laptop while suiting up as backup quarterback at the University of Florida.

On Tuesday, the Panthers QB posted his police mug shot from Nov. 21, 2008 to Instagram, saying in a lengthy message that he's grateful for the "second chance" he got as a future NFL star.

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"On this date I thought my life and my career was over and the fact that I had shamed my family with the media coverage surrounding this situation I vowed to myself on this day (9 yrs ago) that 'I will be better from this situation,'" Newton wrote using his unorthodox font. "What you must learn from this story is this; if you live your life listening to what other people are saying what you should do and not your own, shame on you!"

Newton was charged with felony counts of burglary, larceny and obstructing justice after police said he tossed a stolen laptop out of his third-floor dorm window upon officers' arrival.

Cam Newton says he's grateful for the second chance he got after his 2008 arrest. (Leon Halip/Getty Images)

Newton, then 19 years old, was suspended from the team while still in jail, but the charges were dropped after he completed a court-appointed pretrial invervention program. He then transferred to Blinn Junior College for a year before leading Auburn to the national championship in the 2010 season, when he won the Heisman Trophy.

Carolina rewarded him with its No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft.

Newton wrote on Tuesday that his ability to tune out his doubters has resulted in much of his success, which also includes an MVP NFL season in 2015, when he led the Panthers to their appearance in Super Bowl 50.

"I can honestly say to you today that no one gave me a chance to succeed down bad in my situation and if I would have listened to those people that said I can't, who knows where I would be today," he said. "So I'm extremely thankful for God's mercy, grace and favor over my life, so if I can do it with my circumstances surely you can do it and be whatever you want to be with hard work and persistence - Love."

"Side note: And people wonder why I play the game the way I do, act the way I act, dress the way I dress, and even live the way I live because in some people's eyes 'I'm not supposed to be here' but in my eyes I'm not going to have any regrets with the second chance God has given me," he added.

Athletes in trouble with the law

Newton's post, which has garnered over 200,000 likes in less than 24 hours, came a day after his foundation reportedly fed an early Thanksgiving feast to more than 850 kids in the Charlotte area.

"That's what you have a foundation for," Newton told ESPN. "It's to make an impact. I play football on Sundays, but so much of me is bigger than football and more to it than just running touchdowns and throwing touchdowns."